Published: · Modified: by Christina Lane · This post may contain affiliate links · 23 Comments
Tater tot casserole for two. I've taken all of the amazing flavors of a classic tater tot casserole, and scaled it down to a smaller serving size. With homemade cream of mushroom soup, ground beef, and real cheese, you've got to try this version!
I know, you've been waiting your whole life for your favorite casserole to be scaled down to serve two. It's so true for me, too!
I had to wait until a really strong craving for tater tot casserole hit before I tackled it. I mean, sure, tater tot casserolealways sounds good. But, I needed one of those 'gotta have it now!' cravings to hit before I could conquer the recipe. Only then could I eat spoonful after spoonful of the same dish with only a slight variation between batches.
I get a lot of requests for your favorite homestyle casseroles scaled down. I'm currently working on this perfectbroccoli rice casserole. I'm having trouble deciding, though---with or without chicken?
Tater Tot Casserole
As you know, I'm an overachiever. So, I made cream of mushroom soup from scratch for this recipe. The recipe makes a heaping cup of homemade condensed soup. However, the store-bought can is only 10 ounces, so you could easily substitute. And I won't judge you one bit. Sometimes, dirtying up one more pan in the kitchen brings me to the brink. If you're not having one of those days, I say make it from scratch! I use extra-rich Kerrygold butter and a pinch of thyme to make my homemade condensed mushroom soup, so I think my from-scratch recipe is pretty special. Special, as in better-than-the-can, but really, this is a judgement-free zone--use what you like!
It's time to talk about this mini casserole baking dish. I got it at a really random store, and can't remember any details about it, but I found this similar small baking dish on Amazon. You're looking for any small ceramic baking dish for this recipe. If you pour water into it, it'll hold 2 cups of liquid.
One thing I really love about this recipe is that it doesn't use the whole bag of tater tots. So, my late night cravings for hot tater tots with ice cold ketchup swirled with mustard can still be satisfied. Tell me I'm not the only one who swirls mustard into ketchup.
Back on track: casseroles are warm and cozy and delicious and you love them. I love them, too. But really, we all just love tater tots, isn't this true?
Tater tot casserole, made from scratch! Real homemade cream of mushroom soup, ground beef, and actual grated cheese make this the best casserole ever!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Ingredients
½ pound organic ground beef
1 small white onion, diced
5 ounces sliced mushrooms
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon salt
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup milk
¼ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
frozen tater tots, to cover the entire surface of your casserole dish
½ cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350, and spray a mini casserole dish (mine holds 2 cups of water to the brim) with cooking spray.
In a skillet, brown the beef over medium-high heat. Break up the beef with a spoon as you go.
Scrape the beef out of the pan and onto a paper-towel lined plate. Don't worry about leaving too many drippings in the pan-we're reusing it.
Return the pan to the heat and add the butter, mushrooms, onion and thyme. Saute until the onions begin to soften, about 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the salt and pepper.
Next, sprinkle the flour on top and stir and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add the milk and cream, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often.
Turn off the heat to the thickened sauce, and stir in the salt and pepper.
Place the ground beef on the bottom of the casserole dish. Top with a layer of tater tots. Spread the cream sauce on top, followed by the cheese.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until bubbly and the tater tots are cooked through.
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Why is my tater tot casserole soggy? Not baking the casserole long enough is the most common reason for it to become soggy. Make sure the center is bubbly and the top is golden before removing it from the oven. If the top begins to brown too quickly, cover it with foil, and continue to bake.
What can I serve this with? This tater tot casserole could be served as a side dish itself alongside roasted meats such as roast chicken, turkey, beef or ham. If you're serving this as the main dish then why not try serving this tater tot casserole with green beans, spinach, or a bountiful fresh salad.
The first published recipe for hotdish was in a 1930s community cookbook published by the Grace Lutheran Ladies Aid from Mankato, Minnesota. The 90-year-old recipe was submitted by Mrs. C.W. Anderson.
All hotdishes are casseroles, but not all casseroles are hotdishes. But the main difference between hotdish and other casseroles is where you make it. What someone in Minnesota or North Dakota would call hotdish, a person in Indiana would simply know as tater tot casserole.
Make a cornstarch slurry for a fast and easy thickener.
A few minutes before your casserole is done, add it a little at a time until you are happy with the thickness. Then, let the casserole finish baking. You can also substitute chickpea flour for cornstarch. Chickpea flour is an excellent thickener for savory dishes.
If your oven runs hotter than normal, preheat to 400°F. Take a nonstick baking tray and add the tater tots, making sure to leave a little space in between each one. I recommend placing them raw on the baking tray without lining them with parchment paper. This helps them crisp up better.
Old-School Squash Casserole Is The Most Searched Casserole In The South. Hint: It's a classic. Alana Al-Hatlani is an Assistant Food Editor at Southern Living. We don't have to tell you that the South loves a good casserole.
The term hot dish is typically utilized in the upper parts of Minnesota and North Dakota because people up there like to coin their own verbiage, much like “uff da” or “you betcha.” You probably called it a casserole, like this one, and, not to sound like a hot dish snob, but the parameters of hot dish are a bit more ...
The term “tater tot” is a proprietary name owned by Ore-Ida. In Australia, tots are widely called “potato gems,” and non-Ore-Ida brands have called them “tater treats,” “tasti taters,” “potato crunchies,” and “spud puppies.” Ore-Ida's website calls these imposters “imi-taters.”
John Wayne Casserole is a crustless, vegetarian, cheese and egg casserole recipe. Its origins are traced back as far as John Wayne, the American actor (26 May 1907 – 11 June 1979.) Wayne directly contributed the recipe to a 1979 cookbook titled, “Cooking with Love from Cara and Her Friends”, compiled by a Cara Connery.
Tots are short for "tater tots", which are small cylindrical pieces of deep-fried grated potato often served as a side dish or snack. Tots can be a term of endearment used to refer to young children, often toddlers.
Within Minnesota, it's “hot dish” (two words) and is a very common term for a wide variety of casseroles. I've also seen “hot dish” used in North Dakota and Wisconsin.
To reheat, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the tots on a baking tray.Heat for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway. If you stored them with a piece of paper towel, lightly spray them with olive oil cooking spray before reheating. However, for the best crispy texture, enjoy immediately.
Give Them Space. It's important to give the tater tots enough space on the baking sheet so that they can cook evenly. If they are too close together, they may end up steaming each other and becoming soggy.
Why is my hash brown casserole soggy? The common reason is not thawing the hashbrowns and draining any excess moisture. Frozen hashbrowns take longer to cook in the oven; if they are not cooked long enough, the liquid pools to the bottom.
You might not realise it, but those perfectly ripe, bursting-with-moisture-veggies that you're tossing into your casserole are most likely the culprits when it comes to a watery bake, which is why it's important to heed the recipe when it comes to prepping your vegetables and cooling your finished product.
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